He was instrumental in the rebirth of the
Home of the Blues: Beale Street in Memphis
Tennessee. During the mid-1980s, Papa Don’s
band had the "house gig" at Rum Boogie
on the corner of Beale and Highway 61.
Everyone who was anyone was there, and when
the big names came to town to record or
perform, there was only one place to go - to
see Papa Don McMinn and his Rum Boogie
band.
Twenty five years later, Papa Don is still
creating and perpetuating his special brand
of Southern Music, a concoction of Delta and
Boogie Blues.
Papa Don's current band, Nightrain, is
anchored by his sons, Doug on drums and Rome
on bass.
Don has performed all across the planet, and
he’s worked and recorded with the likes of
Memphis Slim, John Mayall, Bobby "Blue"
Bland, and Albert King, among others. Some
of the notables who’ve made cameo
appearances with Papa Don's band are Joe
Walsh, Gregg Allman, Rufus Thomas, Jon
Bonjovi, Billy F Gibbons, and Eddie Floyd.
Go to tracks include: LAST NIGHT BABY AND
THE NIGHT BEFORE, JUNIOR’S PLACE,
and the beautiful, soulful ballad KEY IN
THE LOCK.